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IS ENERGY INDEPENDENCE A CURE-ALL? Weaning America off foreign oil may not keep U.S. troops stateside, and it wouldn’t insulate the country from the global economy, energy experts warned at a New America Foundation panel on Thursday. Political promises of the bright future of an American economy that doesn’t depend on Middle East oil are a dime-a-dozen in an election year. And the oft-implied or outright-promised outcome is freedom from volatile desert politics and shifting energy prices. But not so fast, the experts said — even as they pointed to signs that North America may indeed be entering an era of energy plenty. Erica Martinson was on the scene: http://politico.pro/Le91LO

HAPPY FRIDAY and welcome to Morning Energy, where, even though we totally promise we’re not at the San Diego Comic-Con, we’re feeling a little dizzy and are calling in sick today. Send your panel recommendations — er, energy news — to aguillen@politico.com, and follow @alexcguillen, @POLITICOPro and @Morning_Energy.

LAWMAKERS QUESTION SAFETY OF GREENPEACE OPERATIONS: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), the top Energy and Natural Resources Committee Republican, and House Natural Resources Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) are concerned that Greenpeace’s planned protest of Arctic drilling this summer — which will reportedly include several ships and submarines — could threaten the operation’s safety. “The dangers of having multiple submarines operated by multiple parties in and around drilling operations are obvious,” the lawmakers wrote this week to Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement Director Jim Watson. “Without any exploratory permit or other arrangement with BSEE or the leaseholder, how can such action proceed in compliance with the law?” Their letters to BSEE and NOAA: http://politico.pro/Seh7cs

HOUSE OVERSIGHT IN OKLAHOMA FOR REGS HEARING: Rep. Darrell Issa and his House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are in oil- and gas-rich Oklahoma today for a field on hearing on “unnecessary and burdensome regulations.” “The federal government is mobilizing its resources to put the brakes on this booming energy sector,” a committee preview statement said. “The cumulative effect of unnecessary federal regulations threatens to derail the American energy renaissance that the citizens of this state have helped to spark.” The hearing’s at 9 a.m. CDT in Edmond, Okla.

REGULATIONS ARE BETTER LEFT TO THE STATES, Patrice Douglas of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission will say. “When regulatory changes are needed, we — as state regulators — can move far more quickly than a federal bureaucracy. For example, it took two years for the Environmental Protection Agency to complete discussions on how to study hydraulic fracturing. In the same time, the State Review of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Regulations Inc. (STRONGER), comprised of state regulators, environmental organizations and the energy industry, completed five state reviews of hydraulic fracturing recommendations,” Douglas will say. Her prepared testimony: http://1.usa.gov/NujcQD

ALSO, TAKING AIM AT ESA: Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Brian Woodard, meanwhile, isn’t happy about Endangered Species Act. “Like so many laws in America, the ESA is based on noble intentions. However, in its current form, it is being exploited by activist groups that self-generate income while draining dollars away from resource recovery efforts.” His testimony: http://1.usa.gov/NpbhTO

OVERSIGHT ALSO TOUTS NORTH DAKOTA ENERGY: The committee then moves the fun up north for a Saturday hearing in North Dakota on that state’s Bakken region and oil boom. North Dakota, with its high oil production and low unemployment rate, has become a hot destination for those advocating greater increased domestic drilling, and this hearing will be no different. The hearing’s at 9 a.m. CDT tomorrow in Fargo, N.D.

WHAT A COINCIDENCE: State officials, meanwhile will note that federal regulations are only getting in the way. “It may be tempting at the federal level to establish uniform regulatory policies; however this ‘one-size’ fits all approach fails to take into account the unique nature of each state. We feel that federal agencies need to recognize the unique environmental issues and partner with the states in regulations development,” North Dakota Department of Commerce Commissioner Al Anderson will say: http://1.usa.gov/PQbRx3

WELCOME TO THE WORLD: DOE Director of Public Affairs Dan Leistikow emailed colleagues yesterday: “We’re delighted to announce that at 8:38 a.m. today we welcomed our little girl, Natalie Rose Simbaña Leistikow into the world. She’s 20.5 inches long and 8 1/2 lbs. She has her mom’s hair, her dad’s chin, and, we can only hope, her mom's sense of direction.” Warning: Baby picture: http://bit.ly/NkOE1d

** A message from America’s Natural Gas Alliance: It's not a dream: Natural gas is putting Americans to work and delivering a clean, domestic energy future. www.anga.us **

SOUTHERN CO. STILL EXPECTS TO CLOSE LOAN GUARANTEE THIS YEAR: Although DOE loan director David Frantz said yesterday that he doesn’t expect any loan guarantees to close in 2012, Southern Co. says it still anticipates closing on the $8.33 billion in federal financing for new reactors at its Vogtle plant by the end of the year, even if the date is foggy. The completion of the two reactors, Southern spokesman Steve Higginbottom said, “is not dependent on receipt of the DOE loan guarantee.” And given all the talk about having taxpayer interests subordinated to private investors post-Solyndra, Higginbottom added “DOE would be first in line to recover taxpayer money; the department has a first lien on Vogtle [reactors] 3 and 4 that is not subordinate to any other lenders.”

AEI HOSTED MEETING TO DISCUSS A CARBON TAX: The American Enterprise Institute this week hosted a meeting floating the idea of a carbon tax, featuring updates on where organizations like the Romney campaign and social justice groups stand on the issue and discussions on working with the House Ways and Means Committee. Carbon tax supporters say the issue is dead on arrival, at least in this election year, but everything is up in the air for the next Congress with its makeup uncertain and EPA carbon rules making their way through courts. Participants in Wednesday’s meeting said that the GOP and conservatives need to find a coordinated response, but lawmakers are giving no indication of that, and that discussions are casual between a diverse set of folks both on the left and right. Several participants stressed there is no formal lobbying effort or campaign.

FROM THE BLOGOSPHERE: The meeting has stirred up some conservative bloggers and groups that feel it goes against conservative ideology. “The GOP’s only clear product differentiator — and most durable political asset — is its reputation as the no tax increase party. The Inglis and AEI initiatives, if successful, would destroy this asset,” Marlo Lewis wrote at GlobalWarming.org: http://bit.ly/Mj5IcD. Nick Loris of the Heritage Foundation also jumped in: “A carbon tax is not a conservative, free-market policy, and the thought that it could make it through the halls of Congress and through lobbytown to be revenue neutral is laughable.” http://bit.ly/SdWywI

GOVERNORS GATHER, GAB GRID: The National Governors Association is gathering this weekend in Williamsburg, Va., for its annual meeting. The group’s natural resources committee will meet tomorrow to discuss modernizing the electric grid with Paul Peterson of Synapse Energy Economics Inc., according to an advisory.

MORANO SLAMS RICE AS ROMNEY VP PICK: Drudge reported last night that Mitt Romney is considering Condoleezza Rice as his running mate, a suggestion that didn’t go over well with Marc Morano, publisher of the skeptic blog Climate Depot. “Why, oh why would Romney choose a V.P. who is smitten with the U.N. climate process,” Morano emailed. “The stench of the carcass of the U.N. global climate treaty process is overwhelming, and despite this, Rice in 2011 regretted that Pres. Bush rejected it. Romney could do so much better than to pick Sec. Rice.”

CHESAPEAKE CASH SQUEEZE COULD HIT REAL ESTATE MARKET: The Tulsa World reports: “Chesapeake Energy Corp., whose $805 million investment in Oklahoma City’s land and buildings has helped reduce commercial real estate vacancies, threatens to collapse the market as it faces a cash squeeze and seeks to sell assets. ... While a sell-off of its commercial property may please the company’s investors, who have seen share prices decline as Chesapeake struggles to fill a cash-flow shortfall, a quick divestiture would also depress Oklahoma City’s office market, local real estate professionals said.” http://bit.ly/NuGFkE

MORE BAD NEWS FOR CHESAPEAKE? An independent research firm is questioning the size of Chesapeake Energy’s proved oil and natural gas reserves. Wall Street Journal: http://on.wsj.com/LjDsVQ

— Newly released NRC data indicates the situation at California’s darkened San Onofre nuclear power plant is even worse than previously thought. AFP: http://bit.ly/LT33BI

— The Air Force has avoided many of the criticisms faced by the Navy for its promotion of biofuels by portraying itself as a “consumer” and not a “producer” of alternative fuels. National Defense Magazine: http://bit.ly/NoEjQm

THAT’S ALL FOR ME. Have a great weekend.

** A message from America’s Natural Gas Alliance: A message from America’s Natural Gas Alliance: Thanks to natural gas, we don’t have to choose between advancing our economy, our environment and our greater energy self-reliance for our nation. This year, the average U.S. household will see a nearly $1,000 increase in disposable income thanks to America’s vast supplies of affordable natural gas. This abundance also is making U.S. companies and American workers more competitive — creating more than 1 million U.S. manufacturing jobs by 2025. With continuous advances in drilling technology and strong state-led oversight, safe and responsible development is taking place every day across our country. That’s why America’s natural gas is smarter power today. Follow us on Twitter @angaus **